A conference focused on female founders seems like a baby-friendly place, doesn’t it?
Elena Brandt, founder of a market research startup called Besample, is excited to attend the 2024 Y Combinator Female Founders Conference in August. She flew from Tallahassee to Miami and then to San Francisco with her six-month-old son, Darwin.
“This conference featured successful female speakers that I wanted to hear. I couldn’t leave Darwin at home because I was breastfeeding, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity,” said Brandt, a father of four.
She stayed with him in the back of the room during the meeting. At one point, he started cooing quietly in his stroller, according to Brandt. Brandt said YC partner Surbhi Sarna then approached her and suggested she move outside.
Brandt found it ironic that this happened just as TigerEye CEO and co-founder Tracy Young was sharing what it was like to raise money for her company while pregnant.
Brandt refused to leave the room. “I had a choice at that moment whether to comply. I chose not to comply, and YC wasn’t happy with me,” she said.
In a LinkedIn post, Sarna defended her position, saying she was never asked to leave the meeting, just to leave the room.
There is no consensus on whether the baby belongs
Brandt also shared her experience on LinkedIn, where her post quickly went viral. “I realize now that this was bigger than what happened to me. There was no consensus on whether children could be brought to meetings,” Brandt said. “If I can’t take my kids and go to these meetings, then I’m missing out. Is that okay?
Skift Meetings reached out to Sarna but has yet to receive a response. Sana apologized to Brandt via email and posted her account of what happened on LinkedIn.
“It was a small venue, and during our keynote, a baby started making a noise that was clearly audible to everyone in the room,” she wrote.
A lack of child care at meetings can create barriers for parents to attend meetings and can hinder career advancement; women are most likely to be affected.
While she was pregnant with Darwin, Brandt took her eldest daughter to the Internet Summit in Lisbon. Not only did they have conference badges for her daughter, but they also set up an indoor playground. “Although she loves the playground, she spends most of her time with me because I want her to experience what her mom did,” Brandt said.
Parenting inspiration
The first nursery for Olympic and Paralympic parent-athletes at Paris 2024 is seen by many as a step forward.
American track and field star Allyson Felix is a big advocate for the Pampers-sponsored facility. There are private breastfeeding spaces, as well as a family lounge for athletes to spend time with their babies and young children.
Adding childcare services to meetings and lactation rooms for nursing mothers can help create a more inclusive space. Additionally, sponsorships are available in these areas.
Simply offering childcare can put a company in a strong position. “We only had four kids at a recent show in Austin. The company felt it was money well spent because the families who benefited said they wouldn’t have been able to attend without us,” said Lisa Bower . “Companies are public about the fact that they offer this service, which makes employees feel good about their workplace. “
Activity childcare provider
An increasing number of large conferences and trade shows do not allow admission to those under 18 years of age. In this case, child care is particularly necessary. If the meeting does not plan to provide child care, it should at least provide a vetted list of nanny services to demonstrate the company’s consideration of the family’s needs.
A mother of four and marketing director at Ernst & Young, Ball left to create Plus One Meetings after years of attending conferences and conferences. The company uses an app to send parents photos and updates about their children. “It allows them to relax and focus on the meeting,” Ball said.
“Some people have the misconception that if your child is in a meeting with you, you’ll be distracted. That’s not the case. It’s reassuring to know they’re in the hall in a happy environment,” she said.
Corporate Kids Events is another company that offers childcare services for conferences. It’s more than just a babysitting service. “Kids don’t need to sit in a hotel room and watch a movie with their nanny. Parents are more likely to take them with them when there are games and meaningful activities,” said Mike Whittle, general manager and chief planner at Corporate Kids Events.
Mother-daughter bond at industry conference
Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, is the North American Director of Event Design Collective and is excited to attend the first Cvent Connect in San Antonio in June. Then childcare for her six-and-a-half-year-old daughter Shireen fell through. Pasha thought she had to stay home, but then she spoke to Rachel Andrews, Cvent’s global director of meetings and events, who said: “Bring her here.”
“They made us feel very welcome,” Pasha said. “Attendees stopped us and were excited to experience the conference through a child’s eyes.”
During the meeting at the Henry B. González Convention Center, an event included interactive games such as Jenga. The pasha’s daughter took part in the action and invited others to join.
